Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago
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CRAIN’S CUSTOM CONTENT MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN LAWYERS IN CHICAGO elcome to the inaugural edition of The Most Infl uential Every one of the profi les in this section is drawn from the Women Lawyers in Chicago, a special custom content nomination materials submitted, and no lawyer paid to be Wsection from Crain’s Custom Media. featured. But because this honor is bestowed only upon lawyers for whom nominations were submitted, this year’s list is The 60 women featured alphabetically in these pages represent not comprehensive. an impressive cross-section of the Chicago-area legal community. Many of them have practiced with distinction for decades, while We trust that as this Most Infl uential list becomes a new tradition others are on-the-rise attorneys making their mark. in the Chicago legal community, the pool of potential honorees will continue to grow. Meanwhile, enjoy reading about the Some have helped set new legal precedents at the U.S. Supreme achievements of what is a truly impressive fi rst class, and please Court while others have developed winning legal theories that join us in congratulating them. Marcy Kott Zora Ristanovic have become standard in state and federal courts. All make it a point to mentor other women lawyers and to give back to their CUSTOM MEDIA community in myriad ways. CRAIN’S A DIVISION OF CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS We Proudly Congratulate Our Partners, Marcy Kott and Zora Ristanovic, Recipients of Chicago’s Most Influential Women Lawyers 2017. More than half of the attorneys in Congratulations to all of the our firm are women. Like Marcy and Zora, 2017 Most Influential Women they all share a passion for excellence. Lawyers in Chicago. Baker McKenzie is proud to have Christina Conlin, Maura Ann McBreen and Olivia Tyrrell among this year’s distinguished honorees. Matrimonial and Family Law Attorneys www.bakermckenzie.com bergerschatz.com CRAIN’S CUSTOM CONTENT MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN LAWYERS IN CHICAGO KATHRYN KOVITZ ARNOLD NICOLE NEHAMA AUERBACH ELLEN M. BABBITT REBECCA WEINSTEIN BACON Partner; Chair - Real Estate Practice Founding Partner Partner; Leader - Higher Education Partner Group and Condominium Practice Group Valorem Law Group Practice Bartlit Beck Taft Stettinius & Hollister Franczek Radelet Kathryn Kovitz Arnold After concluding In 1998, Ellen Babbitt Rebecca Weinstein chairs the real estate that the billable hour founded a law firm Bacon has had a practice at Taft model for pricing devoted to higher hand in trying some Stettinius & Hollister. legal services needed education. At that of the country’s most She also heads the to change, Nicole time, few women groundbreaking firm’s condominium Nehama Auerbach founded law firms— civil cases in the practice. Her wide- helped form Valorem and even fewer last few years. She ranging real estate practice covers real Law Group in 2008 to give clients an lawyers recognized higher education led the team in Carrera v. Bayer Corp., estate development, commercial and alternative. Valorem went from being law was emerging as a unique national which set forth the 3rd Circuit’s law on residential condominium development one of the few firms created to provide field of practice. Since then, Babbitt and ascertainability. She argued the appeal and conversion, mixed-use projects, alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) for her team have devoted themselves to before the 3rd Circuit that was decided in restaurants, leasing, mixed-use high-rise commercial litigation, to being named the needs of colleges and universities, favor of her client, Bayer. This case led to development, vertical subdivisions and one of the 22 Firms Best at Delivering merging their firm in 2011 with Franczek a split in the Circuits that may go to the separations, and commercial financing. AFAs by BTI Consulting in 2017 (along Radelet. Institutions consult with her on Supreme Court. It changed the face of A recent focus has been condominium with such powerhouse firms as Kirkland sensitive board, leadership, faculty and small claims class action cases. In 2014, de-conversions. Arnold has been lead & Ellis, Morgan Lewis and Seyfarth student issues. She is also a leading she tried a consumer fraud case, In re: counsel on several large projects which Shaw). Auerbach is a frequent speaker author and commentator on program Whirlpool Corp. Front-Loading Washer de-converted, including the acquisition and writer on topics related to AFAs, reduction, program closure and Products Liability Litigation, a bellwether of all condominium units in Bel Harbour, innovation and the impact of the billable financial exigency. Most of her practice consumer class action related to plaintiffs’ a 30-story, 207-unit residential high- hour on women and minorities. In involves confidential counseling and risk claims of design defects and breach of rise overlooking Belmont Harbor in the addition to her role as a thought leader management in sensitive situations, so implied warranty. After an almost month- Lakeview neighborhood, by Strategic on AFAs, Auerbach has had a notable her success is often measured by what long trial, the jury deliberated less than Properties of North America for $51.5 year representing clients. In April, she does not make its way into the courts or two hours before returning a complete million. She also led the acquisition obtained a $13.4 million verdict in federal media. But recently, several institutions defense verdict. Bacon also serves as of Clark Place condominium tower in court against the City of Chicago and six have consulted with her to address lead trial counsel in national products Lincoln Park by Strategic Properties for Chicago police officers for violating the presidential issues, by an institution liability cases. Most recently, she was $35 million, and the de-conversion to civil rights of a client (Patrick v. City of seeking a merger partner, and by multiple chosen by Bayer to try the first Mirena apartments. She has worked on projects Chicago, et al.). She is also the co-founder institutions seriously impacted by the bellwether trial, Kellington v. Bayer. The for such iconic Chicago properties as and current national board chair of the Illinois budget crisis. Earlier this year, plaintiff dismissed the case just before the the John Hancock Center and River Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law. she joined the board of trustees of the summary judgment hearing. City private residences. She is active Associated Colleges of Illinois, which in Commercial Real Estate Executive funds scholarships for first-generation, Women of Chicago, a group dedicated low-income and disadvantaged students. to advancing the power and success of women in commercial real estate. CONGRATULATIONS! Robert a. clifford & Clifford law offices ARE PROUD OF THE WOMEN AT THE FIRM WHO Susan Capra Shannon M. McNulty Sarah F. King HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED Hard work and Susan Capra Shannon has established herself is a leader in the area of medical go hand in hand. As a partner as a dynamic and hard-working malpractice where she has AS AMONG at the firm since 2000, Susan lawyer, particularly in the area achieved numerous multi-million has worked exclusively on of consumer fraud. As a partner dollar results. She also works medical malpractice cases. at the firm, she is working on with Women Everywhere: CRAIN’S CUSTOM MEDIA’S She began her professional numerous matters from talcum Partners in Service helping career as a registered nurse, powder causing ovarian cancer underprivileged women and MOST INFLUENTIAL working in the operating to defectively designed windows children throughout Chicago room. She furthered her career that prematurely rot. Prior to as well as the Women’s Caucus WOMEN LAWYERS as a lawyer where she is Clifford Law Offices, Shannon of the Illinois Trial Lawyers recognized in Illinois as among worked for 10 years in adminis- Association to promote the the best in working up these tration with the Chicago Police development and leadership complex cases. Department. of women trial attorneys. PERSONAL INJURY PREMISES LIABILITY LAW WRONGFUL DEATH COMMERCIAL LITIGATION MEDICAL MALPRACTICE WHISTLEBLOWER LITIGATION 120 NORTH LASALLE STREET 31ST FLOOR CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602 PRODUCT LIABILITY MASS TORTS/CLASS ACTIONS TELEPHONE (312) 899-9090 FAX (312) 251-1160 AVIATION CONSUMER AND HEALTH CARE FRAUD WWW.CLIFFORDLAW.COM TRANSPORTATION CONSUMER PRODUCTS LITIGATION AGENCY PARAGON DESIGN INTERNATIONAL, INC. PRODUCT CRAINS 207 E. OHIO #262 HALF PAGE COLOR 312 399 3210 DATE 7 24 2017 CLIENT CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES Marcy Kott Zora Ristanovic We Proudly Congratulate Our Partners, Marcy Kott and Zora Ristanovic, Recipients of Chicago’s Most Influential Women Lawyers 2017. More than half of the attorneys in our firm are women. Like Marcy and Zora, they all share a passion for excellence. Matrimonial and Family Law Attorneys bergerschatz.com CONGRATS TO LP’S INFLUENTIAL IMPACTFUL WOMEN We congratulate partners SHERI WARSH SHERI’S LAUREN’S and LAUREN WOLVEN of Levenfeld Pearlstein’s IMPACT IMPACT Married Trusts & Estates Group on being named among Michael Graduated from Warsh University of Chicago’s Most Influential Women Lawyers. Their and Illinois Law School passed influence on the businesses and personal lives of Illinois MAY bar exam SEPT Chicago families is undeniable. 1989 1989 But it’s not just about their influence. Became mom to APR Joseph Warsh 1993 It’s about their impact. Raised more than MAY $250,000 as 1995 SHERI and LAUREN have positively impacted Co-Chair of the Wish the lives of many people over the years, from their Ball for Make- own families to those helped by the charitable A-Wish Became Illinois AUG mom to causes they support. That type of impact is Alissa 1995 Warsh rare – and it’s what matters most. LP is proud to Began working with PADS recognize Sheri’s and Lauren’s achievements in Lake County to provide 1998 meals for the homeless every facet of their lives.